Dead Leaves (Johanna Mason One-Shot)
by xLiveLoveReadx
Summary: Johanna Mason has managed to survive the majority of her Games with wit and intelligence. Six tributes, including her, are left to play in the deadly Game. Johanna needs to be as ruthless as possible to survive, even if it means horribly murdering others. But does she care? Of course not. Rated T for swearing and violence.


**Hi! This is my first one-shot. Tell me what you think! Reviews are always welcome! :)**

**Rated M for swear words and such.**

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The axe flies in mid air, slicing through the fog as it glides. It hits wood with a thunk, carrying the sound out into the evening. After a moments' hesitation, the owls continue to hoot in the swaying trees. The forest creatures don't seem to mind the awful disturbance of the killing spree going on around them. They just carry on as if nothing will harm them as long as they don't bother others. And I guess they're right, but they don't stand in my way of surviving.

I would hurt these people, however, these idiots that were thrown into this arena with me. None of them matter to me, so there is no point on pretending to like them to form alliances. Trying to make friends in this hellhole is just as productive as trying to make a fire out of wet twigs. It's useless in all ways. Besides, these people will never replace my loved ones. I shake my head to keep from spacing out again. My thoughts shouldn't distract me from the task ahead. I turn to my 'fellow' tribute; a Career from District Four, one of the elite competitors in these Games. The confusion in her eyes flashes as I pull the axe out from the tree trunk beside her.

"...Johanna Mason? How could it be?" She trails off in a whispered voice, turning to face me.

_Ha,_ she recognized me - the helpless girl that begged for her mercy just three nights before.

"Yes, it's me. Quite a trick, no?" I challenge, knowing she's getting extremely uncomfortable with her position in the situation. "I am quite the actress, aren't I?"

"N-no. This.. It's not possible. It can't be. You can't fight at all! That axe, you couldn't even lift it. I saw it! I saw how vulnerable you were!" She stammers as she holds her head to try to bury the idea that I am not completely useless from her mind.

I sense it in her movements, smell it in the air. Fear. And denial. I turn my head to the side and examine her closely. I laugh and walk in front of her, crushing the branches under my feet with loud cracks.

"Of course it's possible. I'm standing right here, aren't I? And you also just happened to see my axe fly deep into that tree. Or are you also blind? Because you're giving off _quite _the impression right now." I smile and look her in the eye.

"Why are you doing this? Why did you act so weak?" She asks in a whispered hush, not daring to look up at me.

"Ooh! Wanting to steal my strategy now, huh? Isn't it a little bit too late to do so?" I tease. "Tsk, tsk. What would your parents have to say about that?"

She starts to hyperventaliate with anger.

"Get away from me!" She says, struggling to push me aside.

I only laugh at her failed attempt and start to circle around her.  
"Is the little Career scared? You're a fool. You want me to 'get away from you'? Well then, you're going to have to make me."

I walk a fair distance away from her, lift my axe in front of me, and take my battle stance. She pulls a trident from her back, holds it up in her unexperienced hands, and stabs the air.

"You're cute." I say, sarcasm dripping from my tongue. The girl bites her lip, and then after a quick hesitation, she advances. She runs at me, battle scream and all, pointing her weapon to my stomach. I side step to my left, bring my foot out, and she trips, falling forward on her face.

"You're pathetic," I say, kicking her head into the dirt. "Get up. Or do I need to do that for you?"

She slowly stands, holding her trident up high. I smile smugly in her direction, and turn away from her.

"You'll lose, you know. You might kill me, but my District partner... He's still alive. He'll find you. This time, no mercy will be given. He'll kill you." A faint whisper tells me.

I turn around.

"What is it you said, young one?" I ask, raising my eyebrow.

She grits her teeth, dirt covering her face and lips. "I am not a little girl."

I chuckle.

"Well you sure look like one," I say, pointing to her flat chest. "You're just as prepubescent as a nine-year old boy."

I can just hear the Capitol audience gasping and laughing at my comment.

_"That's it!"_ She screams and runs at me, trident guiding her way. This girl really needs to learn from her mistakes. I step to the side, and grab her weapon from her grasp. She loses balance, and before she goes down, I hit her in the face with the butt of my axe. In a matter of seconds she's on the ground again. I pull her head up by her hair. Her bottom lip has split and one of her front teeth are missing. I start to break into hysterics, and drop her head. I let her trident fall from my fingers and watch it land beside her. I'm in serious need of a real fight. _This is bullshit._

Before I manage to walk away from her, however, she comes up behind me with a knife to my throat. _Hah. Sneaky._

"Now listen to me very carefully, Mason, you're going to take back all the shit you said. And then I'm going to kill you. Fast or slow is my choice depending on what I feel is best for you. Until you apologize, you will be taking the long route home." The girl says in all seriousness.

I'm shaking with laughter. "You're still no challenge for me, my dear."

"Careful," She says, pulling the knife halfway across my throat. "I'm almost there."

The cut tingles and stings, leaving blood to pool on my neck. I giggle. As fast as I can, I stomp on her foot, and bite her hand. She drops the blade to the ground, and loosens her grip on me. _This is all too easy._ The feeling of the red creep into my shirt sets me at a high alert. She lets go of me and runs to get her trident.

"Finally some action!" I exclaim as I lift my axe to the world outside of the arena, watching this stupid fight. If you can even call it a fight.

This time, I am the one to advance. The sound of metal clashing rings out in the air. She brings the trident close to her, trying to keep me away. I swing at her again. She barely blocks my strike. She's struggling with this; I am too strong for her.

"Who did you say would win again?" I taunt with a mocking voice.

I swing my axe into her leg and watch her withering, screaming form. She loosens her grip on the trident, but doesn't give up. She stabs the air, trying to hit my throwing arm. She misses. She pulls the axe from her leg and throws it far away from reach, blood oozing through her tan coloured pants. I grab another from my belt, ready to finish her off. She runs at me with a limp, and I block her hit with the handle of my axe. We're held in a lock for what seems like forever. I pivot, letting the tension of our weapons' embrace release, and strike her just under the rib cage. She is screaming through the pain, but is persistent. The girl manages a hit on my shoulder, despite being extremely slowed down. I wince, but it's nothing I can't handle. I finally let my weapon hit it's mark - straight into her chest. She falls to the ground, crimson flowing from her mouth and wound. Gasping, she pulls out the weapon from her tender flesh, and throws it away with all the strength she has left.

"Bitch." She says through gritted teeth. I only smile and pick up the bloodied blade from where she left it. I retrieve the other discarded axe, and secure it in my belt. I make sure to check her bag while she chokes on her own blood, trying to yell profanities at me.

"Yeah, whatever." I wave her off.

I scavenge through the bag until I find a box of matches, a water bottle, and some beef jerky strips. This should do. I take the items and walk away with the satisfying sound of the cannon going off. Eight-teen down, six left to play. I run through the forest with no guilt hanging over me. I've learned better than that. I have taught myself to care for me and only me. Every man for themselves. I grin at the familiar weight of the axe in my fingers. I feel strong, almost invincible.

I keep running for hours through the dead leaves on the forest floor. Towards what? I don't know. Maybe I'm running to a wounded tribute begging for mercy, or maybe I'm running towards victory. I throw my axe and watch it behead the tribute with a wave of crimson. Five left.


End file.
